St. Paul daily globe., 1887-03-14
A REMARKABLE LETTER
Written by DR.. McGlynn in Euology
of Mr.. Beecher.
Ministers of Many Denominations
Speak at Plymouth Church.

New YORK, March 13.-The evening
service in Plymouth church were remark
able from the fact that clergymen of almost
every denomination was present and spoke
in eulogy of the deceased pastor. The
building was crowded and the vestibules
were utterly impossible. and during the
service many people tainted and more than
one remained where they swOoned or could
not be carried out. Rev. MIR. Halliday
conducted the services, and read the follow
ing letter from DR.. McGlynn, the deposed
priest Of st. Stephens church, New York:
regret very much that cannot be pres
ent this evening at the meeting in Plymouth
church to honor the memory of the great
pastor and to condole for the irreparable
loss. l must, therefore, content myself with
saying briefly in writing what should be
glad to say more fully in speech. 1t is
sign of the dawning Of the better day for
which the world has so long yearned that
such meeting should be possible and that
you and yours should so earnestly desire the
presence Of d clergyman or that church
which seems so remote. and too many would
say, so antagonistic to ours. Foremost in the
work of Fastening the coming of the better
day was the great man whose death we
mourn and for whose work we give thanks.
None other SO well as he taught the men of
his time to eXat the essential of religion.
PURE AND UNDEFILED,
in which we all agree, and to minimize the
differences that seem TO separate US. To
him was given to see with clearer view to re-
veal the unequalled genius and with tireless
energy to make common among men the
meaning of Him who taught of old on the
mount and by the seaShore, the career of all
religion, the brotherhood Of man. I cheer
fully confess that from Mr.. Beecher learned
from the first days Of my ministry new
tenderness and fullness of meaning in the
"Our Father" and ain glad to be able here
to state that the theology of the old church
agrees with his in this, that the essence of
religion is in communion with God through
the love of Him for His own sake, and in
loving all men with the Zest with which
we love ourselves, and that while
sacrifice and sacrament creed and
ritual, prayer and sermon. and song
may be and are powerful helps and neces-
sary manifestation of the religion which is
love, without it they are but a mockery and
blasphemy. Thankfully count him among
the masters from whom / have learned
fuller meaning of the prayer THY will be
done ON earth as it is in heaven" We must
all agree with Mr.. Beecher that the condi-
ton and duties and strifes of our temporal
life are but signs and symbols OF spiritual
things, and that in the yearning of the whole
world for free liberty, equality and fraternity
under the reign OF
JUSTICE AND LOVE,
If we pluck out the religious heart of it the
burden is not worth the bearing nor the bat
tie worth the fighting. He and the other
Grants of their time have cleared the field
and illuminated the way for higher progress
and helped to give more perfect assurance
of victory in the strife that is now beginning
against wider slavery than that against
which he dealt the sturdy blows-the enslav-
ing of the masses by the ciasseS-and cement
union not merely of American states but
of the people of the world. Stimulated and
encouraged by his success, let us take the
burden of the peoples wrongs where his
| tired shoulders have laid it down and fight
| anew the battle, if need be, till right it shall
come and we, as the burden falls from our
| shoulders and weapons from our hands,
| shall have a nearer vision than was given to
the reign of the prince of peace. Affection
ately and paternally. EDWARD MCGLYNN.
! The musical portion Of the service was
very grand, and was rendered under the
direction of Gen. Horatio c. King. Among
the speakers were DR.. Ager. Methodist;
DR.. j. r. Funk. Lutheran; Dr.. LINDSAY
Parker. of Boston; DR.. Reed, Unitarian,
and Rev. c. c. Hall, Reformed Church.
All spoke IN euOlogy of the late pastor OF
| Plymouth church, and they asserted theil
belief that he was man whose breadth OF
mind entitled them to claim him as a
brother in religion of them all.